The Grenada gazette., 1887-06-18
THE ART OF MEMORY.
Some Sensible Thoughts on the Interestin z
Subject of Mnemotcchny.


Subject Of Mncmotcchny.
The quality of the mind which We
call memory ha, been well likened to a
store-house, into which have been
thrust. without any definite order of ar.
rangemcnt. precious things and worth.
less things, priceless treasures and use
less rubbish. The mechanical task Of Sc.
lecting from the confused heap par.
ticular thing which is needed is called
an effort of the memory, but should
rather be called an arousal Or excita.
ton of the memory; for it is all huI
certain that from the vast store-house
nothing ever disappears; nothing is
ever lost, Only when we can not find
just what we want at the time we want
it, we say we have forgotten.
1t may be bold assertion to say
that we never forget; that is, that
nothing is ever absolutely lost beyond
the possibility of recollection, or re.
gathering, as the world means. but the
facts bear out the claim that in the
strict sense Of the word we never for
get.
1t is common expression to say that
one person has much finer memory
than another. but it only means that
the one has the power of selecting and
arranging which the other has never
cultivated or which has become we,tk.
ened through disease, 1t is undoubt.
ely true that some have higher
natural power of this kind, just as
some mems muscles are naturally
stronger than others, but the faculty
exists in all who are of sound mind.
and can certainly be cultivated to dc.
gree which seems extraordinary to
those who have never looked into OF
thought upon the subject
Cultivation of the art of memory
which. by the way, is a singularly ex-
act expression for the process--is a
matter upon which much thought and
attention have been bestowed. and as
to which opinions have widely differed.
The literature Of nnrmotechny
has become very extensive aud
many systems of artificial memory have
been devised to help those whose ideas
and associations lack sequence and who
do not know how to set about the task
OF recollecting. But all these are out
side tho real idea of culliyatiny the
memory. They are aids to an unused
or unframed faculty, nothing more.
They are simply the application of
mechanical force 10 help out u weak or
enfeebled muscle; they are the muscle
itself.
The memory can be cultivated,
strengthened, made efficient and ac.
curatc in only one way-by systematic
and persistent exercise. It does not
differ in this respect from any other
human faculty, whether of mind or
body. Muscle and intellect are sub
ject to the same rules and the
same conditions; use strengthens,
disuse weakcns. An inefli-
cient feeble memory must be
put under right rigid discipline and ex-
erclsed systematically, and especially
used In those directions in which il is
most defective. Memories differ very
widely, as to the objects which they
grasp with ease or difficulty. One re.
members dates with accuracy, another |
Is always uncertain about them: one
remembers faces perfectly. another al.
ways confuses them; one remembers
the sequence Of events, another is never |
absolutely certain as to historic order
or precedence; one recollects only the
gravest and most important affairs,
another only froth and nonsense.
Each case Of uncertain or defective
memory calls for its own treatment.
and that is severe discipline. A moor
memory for dates can be ma le better
BY hard study Of chronology; the use-
less faculty Of remembering trivial
things can be cured by an exclusive
study OF matters Of consequence. --San
<asaU sunx, Ill.,